Ant


"(Heb. nemalah, from a word meaning to creep, cut off, destroy)," "referred to in Prov. 6:6; 30:25, as distinguished for its" prudent habits. Many ants in Palestine feed on animal "substances, but others draw their nourishment partly or" exclusively from vegetables. To the latter class belongs the ant to which Solomon refers. This ant gathers the seeds in the "season of ripening, and stores them for future use; a habit that" "has been observed in ants in Texas, India, and Italy."

"Against Christ, or an opposition Christ, a rival Christ. The" word is used only by the apostle John. Referring to false "teachers, he says (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7), "Even now" "are there many antichrists." "(1.) This name has been applied to the "little horn" of the "king of fierce countenance (Dan. 7:24, 25; 8:23-25)." "(2.) It has been applied also to the "false Christs" spoken of "by our Lord (Matt. 24:5, 23, 24)." "(3.) To the "man of sin" described by Paul (2 Thess. 2:3, 4, 8-10). "(4.) And to the "beast from the sea" (Rev. 13:1; 17:1-18).

"(1.) In Syria, on the river Orontes, about 16 miles from the" "Mediterranean, and some 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was the" "metropolis of Syria, and afterwards became the capital of the" "Roman province in Asia. It ranked third, after Rome and" "Alexandria, in point of importance, of the cities of the Roman" "empire. It was called the "first city of the East." Christianity" "was early introduced into it (Acts 11:19, 21, 24), and the name" Christian was first applied here to its professors (Acts 11:26). It is intimately connected with the early history of the "gospel (Acts 6:5; 11:19, 27, 28, 30; 12:25; 15:22-35; Gal. 2:11," 12). It was the great central point whence missionaries to the Gentiles were sent forth. It was the birth-place of the famous "Christian father Chrysostom, who died A.D. 407. It bears the" "modern name of Antakia, and is now a miserable, decaying Turkish" "town. Like Philippi, it was raised to the rank of a Roman" "colony. Such colonies were ruled by "praetors" (R.V. marg., Acts" "16:20, 21)." "(2.) In the extreme north of Pisidia; was visited by Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:14). Here they found a synagogue and many proselytes. They met with great "success in preaching the gospel, but the Jews stirred up a" "violent opposition against them, and they were obliged to leave" "the place. On his return, Paul again visited Antioch for the" purpose of confirming the disciples (Acts 14:21). It has been "identified with the modern Yalobatch, lying to the east of" Ephesus.

The name of several Syrian kings from B.C. 280 to B.C. 65. The "most notable of these were, (1.) Antiochus the Great, who" "ascended the throne B.C. 223. He is regarded as the "king of the" "north" referred to in Dan. 11:13-19. He was succeeded (B.C. 187)" "by his son, Seleucus Philopater, spoken of by Daniel (11:20) as" "a raiser of taxes, in the Revised Version, "one that shall" "cause an exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom." "(2.) Antiochus IV., surnamed "Epiphanes" i.e., the Illustrious, succeeded his brother Seleucus (B.C. 175). His career and character are prophetically described by Daniel (11:21-32). He "was a "vile person." In a spirit of revenge he organized an" "expedition against Jerusalem, which he destroyed, putting vast" multitudes of its inhabitants to death in the most cruel manner. From this time the Jews began the great war of independence "under their heroic Maccabean leaders with marked success," defeating the armies of Antiochus that were sent against them. "Enraged at this, Antiochus marched against them in person," threatening utterly to exterminate the nation; but on the way he was suddenly arrested by the hand of death (B.C. 164).

"(1.) Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great by his Samaritan" wife Malthace. He was tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea during the whole period of our Lord's life on earth (Luke 23:7). He was a "frivolous and vain prince, and was chargeable with many infamous" "crimes (Mark 8:15; Luke 3:19; 13:31, 32). He beheaded John the" "Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12) at the instigation of Herodias, the wife" "of his half-brother Herod-Philip, whom he had married. Pilate" sent Christ to him when he was at Jerusalem at the Passover "(Luke 23:7). He asked some idle questions of him, and after" "causing him to be mocked, sent him back again to Pilate. The" "wife of Chuza, his house-steward, was one of our Lord's" disciples (Luke 8:3). "(2.) A "faithful martyr" (Rev. 2:13), of whom nothing more is certainly known.

"A city built by Herod the Great, and called by this name in" "honour of his father, Antipater. It lay between Caesarea and" "Lydda, two miles inland, on the great Roman road from Caesarea" to Jerusalem. To this place Paul was brought by night (Acts "23:31) on his way to Caesarea, from which it was distant 28" "miles. It is identified with the modern, Ras-el-Ain, where rise" "the springs of Aujeh, the largest springs in Palestine."

"A fortress in Jerusalem, at the north-west corner of the temple" "area. It is called "the castle" (Acts 21:34, 37). From the" stairs of this castle Paul delivered his famous speech to the multitude in the area below (Acts 22:1-21). It was originally a place in which were kept the vestments of the high priest. Herod "fortified it, and called it Antonia in honour of his friend Mark" "Antony. It was of great size, and commanded the temple. It was" "built on a plateau of rock, separated on the north from the hill" Bezetha by a ditch about 30 feet deep and 165 feet wide.

"An inhabitant of Anathoth, found only in 1 Chr. 11:28; 12:3. In" "2 Sam. 23:27 it is Anethothite; in 1 Chr. 27:12, Anetothite." "(R.V., "Anathothite.")"


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